My experience at Wheaton College as an Applied Health Science major was undeniably the most formative four years of education in my life. Now, in my fourth year of the orthopaedic surgery residency at Cleveland Clinic, I credit many of the tangible and intangible skills I require to perform my job to my AHS professors at Wheaton.
First, they developed in me a love for the study of musculoskeletal anatomy, physiology and biomechanics, which is foundational knowledge in the field of orthopaedic surgery. As well, they modeled for me the practical disciplines of time management, organization and healthy living, which carried me through eventual board exams and countless long shifts on-call. Most importantly, they taught me to cherish “learning as a lifestyle”, rather than simply as a means to pass an exam or obtain a particular job.
As a physician, this perspective of “learning as a lifestyle” has provided me significant drive to continue pressing forward amidst a decade of medical education, and more importantly, will continue to motivate me to seek and solve the unanswered questions in my field during my career. I am very grateful for my time at Wheaton College, and encourage any student pursuing a career in medicine to highly consider the AHS major.